101 – The princess reluctantly accepts.
I have picked out the most uncomfortable situation in the world.
And, at that time, I answered that the most uncomfortable situation was ‘facing someone who is uncomfortable to face’.
“Oh my God, is that true?”
“Yes, Countess. My mother also told me to tell her to see her again.”
“I’ll have to visit the duke’s house sometime soon.”
“…”
However, thinking about it, it seems that the answer was wrong.
For me, this situation is much more uncomfortable than the situation I was talking about earlier.
This situation where my fiancée and mother were having a conversation in a bright voice, completely excluding me and my father.
······really.
At the mother’s request to visit the duke’s residence, the father, who had been silent until now, spoke cautiously.
“······I’ll have to make an appointment soon.”
“As expected, I only have my husband. He’s different from someone else’s son who doesn’t even think about a woman’s heart.”
“Is there such a person? I don’t know who he is, but he’s a really annoying person.”
Everyone didn’t name it correctly, but the fact that the target of those words was me was a painful fact to say.
It seems that Rebecca has pouted quite a bit.
“······ha.”
With nowhere to go, only meaningless sighs kept coming out.
Seeing that I was sighing, my mother, perhaps thinking that she had teased enough, changed the subject of the conversation to something else.
“By the way, do you know why the princess was invited today?”
“I don’t know for sure, but there’s an important story…”
“That’s right. Today, I invited the princess to discuss her son’s marriage.”
Pooh-
A reaction as if I had seen it somewhere came out of Rebecca.
“Did you say you were married?”
“Yes. I told Albert, but I think it’s time to start preparing.”
“…”
“Besides, from what I’ve heard, it seems like the line between men and women has already been crossed… Do we need to delay any longer?”
Rebecca’s face turned to surprise at that one sentence.
The way she looked at me with a red face seemed to ask how my mother knew about that.
‘I don’t know either.’
‘···.’
Of course, I didn’t know my mother’s source of information anyway.
Earlier, my mother had told me that she had heard it directly from the Duchess of Valencia, but I wasn’t sure if that was true.
“Don’t be too nervous. I’m just asking what the princess thinks.”
“I don’t think this is something I can decide alone…”
“By the way, my son said it wouldn’t be a good idea to do it at least after his birthday.”
Hearing that, Rebecca looked at me with a different look.
‘······Really?’
‘···.’
This time I stayed silent.
There was no particular reason.
It was a bit subtle to simply answer.
It feels like I alone have decided our future.
I think I was caught thinking about the word marriage without Rebecca’s knowledge.
······My face was burning.
Hwaak-
At the same time, Rebecca’s face flushed red.
Did you think deeply about the word marriage like me alone?
I wasn’t sure, but I could roughly guess.
Because my reaction was similar.
It was a lot like the first time I thought about a future with Rebecca.
It was human beings who recognized people similar to themselves better than anyone else.
“······It seems like we should step aside for a while.”
It was the same with my mother who found it.
“Now, old people, step aside for a moment, honey.”
“old······.”
“Don’t pretend to be hurt. Get out of here.”
“…”
“Son? If you can’t come to a proper conclusion this time, be prepared?”
Leaving me with a bloody warning (?), I dragged my father out of the restaurant quickly.
“…”
“…”
In the end, only me and Rebecca were left at the table where there was silence.
without anyone alone
***
I was the one who could not stand the awkward silence and spoke first.
“······how are you?”
“…”
“It is very difficult for me to open my mouth in a situation like this, so would you please help me?”
“······No, it was a bit embarrassing.”
Rebecca’s cheeks were still red, as if she remembered her mother’s bombshell remarks.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t contact you today.”
“…”
I apologized to Rebecca without hesitation.
“I think I’ve been neglecting swordsmanship training lately. I haven’t been able to contact you since I’ve been practicing swordsmanship since morning.”
“…was that really the reason?”
“sorry.”
“······You can do it with me.”
“yes?”
“I can help. Your swordsmanship training.”
It was slightly reddish, perhaps because of embarrassment, but Rebecca looked me straight in the eyes and spoke.
Isn’t it okay to do things like swordsmanship training with yourself?
He said he wanted to spend time with you today.
I don’t care what I do as long as I’m with you.
There was no back talk, but the meaning was conveyed without being heard.
“But, you didn’t know that, and you worried me again.”
“…”
“Do you know what I was thinking before I was invited by the Countess?”
It also felt like the meaning was conveyed even without words.
I was worried that the person I should have come to as usual didn’t come.
I was worried that something might have happened on the way.
Rebecca’s red eyes were telling me clearly.
“······sorry.”
“…”
“I’m short-minded again, worrying the Princess.”
In the meantime, all I could say was an apology that I was sorry.
I’m sorry for worrying you.
I made you worry with the irresponsible thought that you should have a day like this at least once.
This was the best I could say.
“······I’m glad you know.”
“…”
“I don’t even know how many times I’ve said this to you. Really, what are you doing if it’s not me?”
Hearing my apology, Rebecca smiled slightly.
······wait for a sec. smile?
Something was strange.
The Rebecca I knew couldn’t smile in a situation like this.
That was definitely the mischievous smile of Rebecca up to something, not really pouting Rebecca.
This disturbing premonition soon turned out to be true.
“So, marry me, Albert Zernias.”
“······yes?”
“Because you’re a lacking person who can’t be without me. I’ll take you specially.”
Rebecca proudly declared to me to marry her.
“······hahahaha.”
At the sudden proposal, only laughter came out.
He forbade me to tell me not to say that I am lacking at some point.
She was a really selfish and stubborn princess.
“You knew that too. You’re someone who has to be me anyway…”
“Isn’t that the same for the Princess?”
“······yes?”
“Just as I couldn’t do without the princess, the princess couldn’t do without me either.”
However, I had no intention of losing easily.
I spoke plainly, as if I were telling the obvious.
“Can you declare, Princess? You can live well without me.”
“······of course.”
“You stutter. Then declare: ‘I can live happily without my stupid fiancé.'”
“······I’m a fool… even if I don’t have a fiancé…”
“My fiancée, whom I know, has never stuttered this much.”
“Even if you don’t have it.”
Rebecca couldn’t get the sentence I spat out lightly out of her mouth.
It was natural.
“You’re going to admit it now. The princess is already a person who can’t be without me.”
“…”
Because Rebecca and I have already come a long way to lightly spit out that sentence that is not long but is infinitely heavy.
I didn’t think it was a bad thing.
That’s because it’s a story about how important each other is to each other.
A fiancée to a fiancée, a fiancée to a fiancée.
It was a natural story, like water flowing from top to bottom.
Rebecca said indignantly.
“That’s right. I can’t say that. No, I won’t.”
“Is that so?”
“You must be very happy. You beat your fiancée again.”
“It’s very nice. That means I’m a precious person to the Princess.”
“So what is the answer?”
“If the answer is…”
“Are you going to marry me? I asked you earlier.”
“······Is that what you asked for?”
It was more of a declaration rather than a request for an opinion.
I didn’t say anything behind it, but my expression was pointing at that sentence.
“Anyway! Are you going to marry me!”
Rebecca also shouted, blushing as if she was very aware of that fact.
Seeing that cute figure, I replied with a slight smile.
“If I don’t marry the princess, who will I marry?”
“…”
“Your heart already belongs to me, and my heart must have belonged to you.”
“then······.”
“But, that time may not be right now.”
“yes?”
“I don’t want the beautiful moment of marriage proposal to be stolen by a foolish fiancée.”
Can’t you just wait a little longer?
I asked Rebecca.
And, as always.
“······I won’t wait long.”
“I know. My fiancé is the one who lacks patience more than anyone.”
“…”
“So, please wait a little.”
“… It’s really just a little bit.”
Rebecca had no choice but to be defeated by me.
“This is a prize given by a fiancé to a fiancée who admitted defeat.”
“······Really, you are always the way you are.”
“Do you hate me because I’m such a fiancée?”
“······Do it quickly.”
The kiss that followed that day proved that fact better than any other evidence.